PLAY EXPO (formerly Replay), 13-14 October 2012, Manchester

[StarshipUK]

Mike - don't feed the troll.

Whatever. I just say thing how they are and speak my mind.

Do not forget those who have helped you in the past.

[MikeFishcake]

Well I just helped to run an 8 day gaming event which was £7.51 for eight days, running from 00.01 to 23.59, instead of booking fees there was a giant singing lobster which scuttled round to your house and kissed you messily in the face, AND we confirmed a sixteen day event for next year which is only £3 and which will run for 25 hours a day. IN SPACE.

You try to tell the kids of today that, and they won't believe you!

[Arcadian]

Quality.

In fact, that's signature material.

[DPrinny]

Well I just helped to run an 8 day gaming event which was £7.51 for eight days, running from 00.01 to 23.59, instead of booking fees there was a giant singing lobster which scuttled round to your house and kissed you messily in the face, AND we confirmed a sixteen day event for next year which is only £3 and which will run for 25 hours a day. IN SPACE.

You try to tell the kids of today that, and they won't believe you!

[SirClive]

Just my opinion, but to me this makes £44 for two people for a 16 hour event seem a tad expensive.

You know the solution to that don't you Steve!

Did you kick up a fuss with the organisers of Distant Worlds over the booking fee? Play (and Replay before it) is not a community event that relies on the good will of its patrons. It has huge costs associated with it (just the venue fee alone would bring a tear to the eye) that have to be recouped. Many of these fees needing to be paid up front at great personal risk to the Replay Team. We have been as fair as we can with the pricing for what will be a pretty unique event. If people don't agree with that model then they should vote with their wallet and at the end we will either sell enough tickets to declare it a success or we won't and will have to go back to the drawing board for future shows. However tickets already appear to be selling well, so I feel you are in the minority.

[Antiriad2097]

Alternatively, its excellent value. Around £20 for two days of fun with friends. I'd get one movie with the Mrs for that, or maybe an hour or two down the pub. As I'll have the travel fare to Manchester and 2 nights hotels on top for Play, the actual event fees pale in comparison to a completely negligible point.

If anything, I'd say these prices suggest Starship is undercharging, though the other events aren't anywhere near the scale of Play.

But we're quibbling over £5-10. Pocket change for an annual event.

[StarshipUK]

The point I am trying to make is that the ticket booking fee for a family ticket (which is in effect 4 individual tickets) is £1.40 cheaper than buying the tickets separately, however those without children are being penalised by having to pay £4 booking fee with no discount, and I think booking fee should be per transaction and not per ticket. I did not book tickets for distant worlds so know nothing about that.

I have a valid point and am disgusted everyone is taking this p1ss (and organisers are calling me a troll), especially after someone posted a thread complaining about the venue location (which was stupid) and just got sensible replies.

I have gone to exhibitions were entrance to visitors is free, as the costs are recouped from charging exhibitors and traders. I am not saying entrance to the event formerly known as replay should be free, but I expect you will be recouping most of the costs that way.

[DPrinny]

Dont like it.

Dont go

Booking fees are the work of Satan's office clerk though

[mohicankid]

I have a valid point and am disgusted everyone is taking this p1ss (and organisers are calling me a troll), especially after someone posted a thread complaining about the venue location (which was stupid) and just got sensible replies.

To be fair steve, i only ever notice negative posts from you reguarding ANYTHING by the replay events team! you obviously see them as competition for some reason, and I can only assume that you are bitter that they have achieved somthing that you couldn't!

I have gone to exhibitions were entrance to visitors is free, as the costs are recouped from charging exhibitors and traders. I am not saying entrance to the event formerly known as replay should be free, but I expect you will be recouping most of the costs that way.

As somebody who has worked closely with the PLAY/REPLAY guys in the past and has been privy to some knowledge reguarding costs,expenses and charges reguarding replay and other events I can tell you that you are WAY out there! i won't disclose anything reguarding that but I will tell you this!
i was talking to the main organisers at GEEK 2012, about the GEEKS (the four wooden structures that looked a little like pacman ghosts that displayed game information). the cost involved with building them, i.e, the wood, the paint, hinges and the decal was just shuy of £1,300! so at £12 per adult ticket they needed 108 people just to cover the cost of four wooden structures! now think of things like this.. cost of venue,cost of electricity (seperate charge) cost of advertising (ask dave how much they paid for a 2 minuit radio ad' last year!!) cost of delivery and transport, staff, security, hotels, public liability insurance... the list goes on. then think that this event dose not happen overnight, these guys travel the country year round gathering interest and advertising at countless other events where similer costs as formentioned are again accumilated!
there is huge financial risk in running these large events, and thats why most retro events are held in the back room of a pub belonging to the organisers mate!

yes Replay events started off as a group of people who were involved one way or anotherin the retro games comunity, but it naturaly evolved and has taken its rightfull place as one of the BIG expo's in the gaming callender!

Do not forget those who have helped you in the past.

yes, you and many others have volunteerd time into helping them get there, but thats the key word...volunteer, you WANTED to help and you did, well done! so did i, i have vollunteerd lots of time and effort into helping 3 guys i call friends get where they are today, i'm happy for them, and expect nothing in return, and as it seems likely that they will not be asking for my help this year, i will most probably be paying the ticket price, and booking fee,just like you... and i will be more than happy to do so!

above comments are my own!

[Antiriad2097]

I have a valid point and am disgusted everyone is taking this p1ss

I don't think everyone is taking the p1ss. There are one or two posts made in jest, a few raising counter arguments, but I really haven't read the majority of this as you suggest. Yes, there's a couple of suspect comments, but overall I think its been a rational response.

I don't think any of the events I've been to have offered poor value for money in terms of entrance fees.

You may have a point about booking fees, but its not how I read your original post, only this latest one has clarified this.

[edit] In fact, I've just reread your posts and its not clear at all that booking fees are the issue, you've just made direct comparisions with your own (much smaller) event and suggested that this somehow directly correlates to Play being 'too expensive'. You've offered subjective opinion comparing apples and oranges.[/edit]

[DPrinny]

Booking fees are the work of Satan's receptionist on odd days though

[Arcadian]

Dont like it.

Dont go

Word.

and as it seems likely that they will not be asking for my help this year

Not the case at all, Si. We've all been so busy preparing for last week's launch (London event, website finalisation, ticketing etc) we still haven't had time to even think about staffing requirements for this year's show. Now that things have calmed down a little, we'll hopefully get round to discussing the subject over the next 1-2 weeks. But you can definitely expect a call!

[consolepassion]

Another point to mention is we're VAT registered now so 20% of ticket sales go straight to HMRC but we didn't put our ticket price up meaning we are 20% out of pocket on ticket sales compared to previous shows...

Just my tuppence.


AndyB

[consolepassion]

But you can definitely expect a call!

Wouldn't be the same without you Mr Skelly!

[mohicankid]

lol ok ignore that bit then, but the rest still stands!